When the Washington Commanders sat 41 players for their preseason finale on Friday against the Baltimore Ravens, you didn’t expect a lot from the game. Remember, Baltimore also sat its starters, so the final preseason game was about avoiding injuries and evaluating players battling for the final roster spots.
Baltimore destroyed Washington 41-3. It was as bad as the score indicated. The Ravens scored on their first possession, while the Commanders turned it over on theirs. Baltimore converted that turnover into points, and it was suddenly 14-0. The Ravens kept on scoring, while the Commanders could barely get a first down. Washington didn’t score its first points until midway through the third quarter.
Let’s recap the Commanders’ preseason finale:
Final score: Ravens 41, Commanders 3
It was over when.....
FORCED FUMBLE!!
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 28, 2026
Ethan Burke forces the fumble and C.J. Okoye recovers it! Tune in on @wbaltv11. pic.twitter.com/W0rxiUupit
Baltimore scored on its opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. On Washington’s first play from scrimmage, rookie running back Kaytron Allen fumbled, giving the Ravens the ball in Commanders’ territory. They took advantage and held a 14-0 lead. That was all she wrote. Rookie quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis was already down 14-0 before he had a chance to throw his first pass.
Numbers to know
- 7: The Commanders had seven first downs. They had only two midway through the third quarter. Most came in the fourth quarter when the Ravens were playing mostly prevent.
- 456: Washington allowed 456 total yards. Sure, the Commanders were playing backups and third-stringers, but so was Baltimore. That’s kind of scary if Washington struggles with injuries again.
- 177: The Commanders had 177 total yards, many of which came late in the game. There were multiple three-and-outs, unforced errors, and much more.
- 1-12: Washington converted on only one third down in the entire game.
- 9-93: The Commanders had nine penalties for 93 yards. Unacceptable.
Game balls
It’s fair to say no one deserves a game ball after that performance. Veteran running back Craig Reynolds ran hard when he had the chance, finishing with 38 yards on 9 carries. That’s how bad it was for Washington.
What’s next?
The Commanders have until 6 p.m. ET on Sunday to trim their roster from 90 players to 53. After watching Friday’s preseason finale, how many of those tougher decisions seem tougher now?
After Sunday, everyone’s attention completely turns to Sept. 13, when the Commanders open the 2026 regular season on the road against defending NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles. GM Adam Peters has a lot of work to do.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Instant analysis of Commanders' preseason blowout loss to Ravens
